Bringing It All Back Home Part 1: The Fumes

Growing up where and when I did had a severe impact on who I am as a person as it does for, I think, most people.
In the early nineties something was going on in Spokane, WA. People were forming bands. Bands that were good enough to leave Spokane and play in other cities. Punk bands. Goofy grunge bands. Ska bands. "Sk-runge" bands. Not only that, but kids were forming bands. Kids my own age. I think I noticed this phenomenon first when I was around 14 or 15 years old. This was a huge revelation for me.
The Fumes weren't the first local band I saw live, but they may have been my favorite. Really, even now the Fumes sound amazing. Totally tight, blistering punk rock. Awesome. I rocked my young ass off many many times at Fumes shows.
It's worth noting that the singer Dee owned the only really cool record store in Spokane other than 4000 Holes (and little nell's). A little tiny shop downtown called "Vinyl Garage". Dee sold me lots of riot grrl music. He had great taste. Thanks man.

1990 - Ways To Enjoy Life 7"

Side A - Ways To Enjoy Life
Bent
Side B - Genie
Steel Belted

1993 - Tossin' Plates And Forks 7"

Side A - Something Else
Past Out
Side B - Something
Gun In Your Face

1994 (?) - Shucking Shells 7"

Side A - Shucking Shells

Soil
Sister
Side B - Repeats Side A

Behold: The Power of Song!

Bonnie Blue, but not the flag.

2000 - Bonnie "Blue" Billy
"Little Boy Blue" 7-inch

Side A - little boy blue I (George Jones)

blue boy (Boudleaux Bryant)

Side B - little boy blue II (Bobbie "Blue" Bland)

I bought this record directly from whoever was distributing it back in 2000 when it came out. I had just gotten into the whole Palace action thing and the listing for the 7-inch in the catalog said it had a limit of two copies per store. That meant it was gonna be pretty severely limited. Plus it was a UK import (released only for the UK by Western Vinyl out of texas??). Plus it was on blue and grey marbled vinyl.
Ahhh yes, the truly depraved vinyl fetishists out there are with me. How can you let that slide past you when you see it coming?
So yeah, I bought it the day it arrived from the distributor and I'm sure I threw it on and listened to it as soon as I skated or biked home to the house I was living in up in the Hollywood District back then.
So what's going on on this thing? None of these songs appear on any other Will Oldham release that I am aware of, and, in fact, none of them are even songs written by him. A 7" of covers. Apparently grouped together because of a common thread of having the words "blue" and "boy" in them.
OK, fair enough. This is exactly the kind of exercise that low-print-run import 7"s are for. The single doesn't slack on quality though. The covers are all given really nice, thoughtful treatments and somehow the title theme actually does seem to make the whole thing come together into a cohesive mood.
When you hit Side B though you'll find the heart of this seven inch. Will Oldham is in a pretty distinctly different place with this cover and you can hear it. He sounds intimate with the song. This is hard to do. Lots of people feel like they can own certain covers, but really? No. No they can't. This is one of the rare occassions for me where I feel like the performer of the cover really could have written the song. It's pretty awesome. I would even go as far as to guess that he came up with the whole concept for this 7" just to release this song. It would perfectly explain why he uses the moniker Bonnie "Blue" Billy as the song was written by none other than Bobby "Blue" Bland. (credited as "b. bland" on the sticker)
I've listened to this 7" many many many times over the 9 years since I first bought it, and you'll be able to tell by the slightly scritchyness on side B.
Sorry.
I don't know anyone else who has a copy, so this is what you get. :)
Enjoy!